Affiliation

Lead Pastor: Ralph Mills

Pastor Mills was born in Peterborough, Ontario. His family moved to Oshawa during his elementary school years. He received Christ as personal Lord and Saviour at the age of seventeen. In 1977 he joined the Durham Regional Police Services where he served as a constable for several years. He answered the call of God to prepare for pastoral ministry, and received his Bachelor of Theology degree from Eastern Pentecostal Bible College. While in Hamilton he furthered his education with a Master of Theological Studies degree from McMaster University Divinity College.

Full-time ministry began for him as Assistant Pastor at Evangel Community Church in Chatham, Ontario. During his tenure there he also served as the city police chaplain. In 1993 he accepted the call as Lead Pastor at Bethel Pentecostal Assembly in Goderich, Ontario. In 1997 he was called to Bethel Gospel Tabernacle (BGT) in Hamilton, where he served as the Lead Pastor for over sixteen years. At the end of 2013 he accepted the call as Lead Pastor at River Oaks Community Church in northeast Oakville.

Pastor Mills expounds upon God’s Word with passion and conviction, incorporating the use of contemporary applications. He firmly believes that the risen Christ is still the answer for the modern world. He is convinced that a local body of believers who gather together in God’s grace, will experience spiritual growth, hope, friendship, and a sense of belonging.

For thirty-nine years he has been married to Patricia. They have two daughters, Amy (Dave) and Sarah (Chris); and four grandsons: Isaac, William, Hudson and Hayden. They celebrate the joy of salvation in Christ, life together, the privilege of pastoring, and the blessing of their family.

Children's Ministries: Dorris Patterson

My name is Doris-Anne Patterson and I oversee the Children’s Ministry. I have been teaching Sunday school for over twenty years. Over the years, I have had the awesome privilege of seeing many Sunday school students go on to serve the Lord. I am married to a wonderful man, and have two great kids. My daughters are also helping out in Sunday school. Our Sunday mornings start off with kids praise and worship followed by the children being dismissed to their classrooms where they are greeted by their teachers. Our teachers are dedicated, knowledgeable in the Word of God and fun loving. To date, we have been reviewing and memorizing the books of the bible, the armour of God and the Beatitudes.